A 28-year-old man jailed last year for his role in a gang that spread a “cancer” of Class A drugs across South Wales has seen his sentence reduced.

A 28-year-old man jailed last year for his role in a gang that spread a “cancer” of Class A drugs across South Wales has seen his sentence reduced.

Steven Brown, of Maesycymmer, Ystrad Mynach, was sentenced in November 2011 to four years, four months for acting as a “fixer” for the gang, putting them in touch with potential clients.

But at a Court of Appeal hearing at Cardiff Crown Court today the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, reduced his sentence to three years, six months, after learning Brown had not made any profits from his involvement in the enterprise, which was described as a “one-off”, and that he handed himself into police at the first opportunity.

Brown was convicted after evidence gathered in a major police operation caught him talking on the phone about setting ringleader Raymond Legall up with clients.

But his representative, Peter Davies, today said his client handed himself into police as soon as he learned he was wanted and was the first of the gang to plead guilty to the charges.

Tajul, 25, of Rennie Street, Cardiff pleaded guilty to handling 9oz of cocaine and was sentenced last year to four years, six months.

Today, he also won a reduction in his sentence to three years and six months after the court was told he was a customer of the gang who was vulnerable due to his cocaine use and was turned by them into a “minion”.

The court heard he was the sole carer for his three daughters and that, shortly before the trial, his father had been diagnosed with cancer.

Representatives for Legall, of Watkins Square, Llanishen, Cardiff, who admitted supply of heroin and cocaine, said the judge at his trial had “stepped out of sentencing guidelines” in jailing him for 12 years.

But Mr Justice Singh, sitting alongside Lord Judge and Mr Justice Wilkie, rejected his appeal for a lesser sentence, adding: “What is clear about the case of Legall is that he is a professional criminal dealing in the supply of destructive drugs”.

He said Akthar, 29, of Llandough Street, Cathays, Cardiff, should also keep his sentence of eight years, three months because it was clear he was a “willing and able lieutenant of Legall”.

He said the trial judge, Christopher Llewellyn-Jones QC, had been right in sending out a “very clear message” to others who intended to deal class A drugs by handing out heavy sentences, adding: “We entirely endorse the learned judge’s bold approach to these issues”.

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